The present invention relates to a power generation system for converting the natural energy such as the force of water or wind to the electric energy and, more particularly, to a power generation system comprising a flywheel apparatus.
As for the prior art of this kind of the power generation system, a hydroelectric generation system will be explained. As an example of the hydroelectric generation system, water in a reservoir is made to flow downward through a tube, a waterwheel serving as a prime mover is turned by the force of the water flowing in the tube, and a power generator is operated in accordance with the rotary force of the waterwheel to generate the power.
In such a hydroelectric generation system, the quantity and rate of the water flowing in the tube are varied in accordance with weather conditions and the like. To compensate for this variation, adjustment mechanisms such as valves, serge tanks, guide vanes and the like are provided around the tube or the waterwheel, so that the rotary force obtained from the waterwheel can reach a predetermined value. The adjustment mechanisms aim to restrict the variation of the water flow which is regarded as the energy of the natural world and to effectively operate the prime mover.
Next, a wind power system using a windmill as its prime mover will be reviewed.
The wind power system is constituted by a windmill, a power generator and the like, so as to supply the rotation of the windmill serving as a prime mover to the power generator. The adjustment mechanisms applicable to the wind power system are a mechanism for changing the direction of the windmill in accordance with the direction of the wind, a mechanism for changing the angle of the fans of the windmill, accelerating gears provided between the windmill and the power generator, and the like.
The adjustment mechanisms in the above-described hydroelectric power system or wind power system are elements for effective conversion of the energy of the natural world into the electric energy.
On the other hand, recently, necessity for this kind of the adjustment mechanisms have been increased, from the viewpoint of the use of various energies, the improvement of the efficiency of power generation and the like, in the small power generation system which has been largely developed. That is, when the mechanisms which do not limit their energy sources or various adjustment mechanisms having the forms are realized, the power generation system can be diversified or the efficiency of power generation can be improved. For this reason, the emergence of the power generation system comprising a novel adjustment mechanism which can be applied to the above-described hydroelectric generation system or wind power system has been expected.
The object of the present invention is to provide a power generation system comprising a novel adjustment mechanism and being capable of effectively taking the energy of the natural world such as wind and a water flow and converting the energy into electric energy.
This object can be achieved by the following power generation system. That is, the present invention comprises a novel adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism is a flywheel apparatus having an exciting section. In the flywheel apparatus having the exciting section, the shaft of the flywheel is made eccentric in accordance with the rotation of the shaft of the flywheel, to increase the flywheel effect and restrict the vibration.
The power generation system of the present invention thus operated comprises a power generator; and a flywheel apparatus having an input shaft and an output shaft to receive a rotary force from outside via the input shaft and supply the rotary force to the power generator via the output shaft.
The flywheel apparatus comprises a frame; a flywheel section being provided at the frame, and comprising an input unit having the input shaft for receiving the rotary force from the outside, a flywheel unit having the output shaft, and a drive unit for transmitting the rotary force from the input unit to the flywheel unit; and an exciting section provided at the frame, for increasing a flywheel effect of the flywheel section.
The input unit of the flywheel section comprises bearings provided at the frame; a first shaft serving as the input shaft, supported by the bearings; an input pulley provided at the first shaft, for receiving the rotary force from the outside; and a first pulley provided at the first shaft.
The drive unit of the flywheel section comprises bearings provided at the frame; a second shaft supported by the bearings; a second pulley provided at the second shaft; a first belt looped over the first pulley and the second pulley; and a support cylinder provided at the second shaft.
The flywheel unit of the flywheel section comprises a support rod having an end fixed at the support cylinder; a connection cylinder at which another end of the support rod is fixed; a third shaft serving as an output shaft passing through the connection cylinder; a third pulley provided at the third shaft; a second belt looped over the second pulley and the third pulley; and a flywheel disk provided at the third shaft.
The exciting section comprises a drive unit constituted by bearings provided at the frame, a cum shaft supported by the bearings, a fourth pulley provided at the cum shaft, and a third belt looped over the first pulley and the fourth pulley; and a cum unit being provided at the cum shaft, and having one end exciting to allow the connection cylinder to reciprocate in accordance with the rotation of the cum shaft.
In the flywheel apparatus having the exciting section according to the power generation system of the present invention. The shaft of the flywheel is made eccentric in accordance with the rotation of the shaft of the flywheel, to increase the flywheel effect and restrict the vibration. Thus, the rotation can be further smoothed by the increase in the flywheel effect, the energy to be stored in the flywheel can be increased as compared to a flywheel without the eccentricity, and the mechanical loss can be further reduced by the restriction of the vibration.
Therefore, according to the power generation system of the present invention, the energy of various energy sources such as the forces of water, wind and the like can be converted into the rotary energy by a prime mover, the rotary energy of the prime mover can be effectively taken via the input shaft, the mechanical loss can be further reduced, and thereby the efficiency of power generation can be enhanced.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.